Compositions, devices, and methods for use in environmental remediation

ABSTRACT

What is disclosed are compositions, devices, and methods for use in environmental remediation The compositions are for use in a variety of environmental remediation barriers including fiber rolls, blankets, and berms. Applications for the use of the compositions, devices, and methods include remediation of runoff water, of livestock waste, of eutrification of waterways, and for the revetment of banks.

CLAIM TO PRIORITY

The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/539,406, entitled“COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR USE IN ENVIRONMENTALREMEDIATION”, inventor: Kevin McPhillips, filed: Jan. 27, 2004, throughand is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Utility patent application Ser.No. 10/992,296, entitled “COMPOSITIONS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR USE INENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION”, filed: Nov. 18, 2004. These applications areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE ART

The field of art disclosed herein pertains to compositions, devices, andmethods suited for a variety of applications in environmentalremediation.

BACKGROUND

The uses of structural barriers for a variety of applications inenvironmental remediation are generally well described. Several types ofEnvironmental Remediation Barriers (ERBs) are used in earth andhydraulic engineering, such exemplary structures including fiber rolls,mats, blankets, and berms. Originally, major applications of ERBsincluded erosion and sedimentation control, revegetation, and revetment.More recently, the potential for such structures to serve additionallyin the capacity of removal of natural and manmade pollutants fromresidential, industrial, and agricultural sources, and remediation ofeutrification has been described.

As the name of one type of ERB, fiber roll, suggests, ERBs packed into acovering, such as a netted material, may be filled with fibers;typically a single natural fiber such as abaca, hemp, jute, flax, sisal,coir, or straw materials. For a major application of fiber-filled ERBsin erosion and sediment control, the purpose of the fiber filling isprimarily structural. In that regard, though the natural fibersdescribed are capable of absorbing water, one necessary attribute of thefiber filler has been to provide an effective porosity once packed thatallows for the ready passage of water, while promoting the retention ofmud, sediment, gravel, and the like. Other desirable attributes ofnatural fibers used in ERBs include ready availability in high volumeand low cost, requirement to be germ, insect and weed free, free ofchemical pollutants, ability to degrade after use; thereby obviatingcreation of harmful waste, and ease of processing into targeted devices.

Materials in addition to natural fibers have been suggested assupplemental constituents in ERBs. Particularly, vegetative matter, aswell as nutrients and fertilizers for revegetation and revetment havebeen described. Materials that have been suggested include sawdust, woodchips, bark, compost, flocculants, water absorbents, and pesticides. Amajor objective in the field has been to establish environmentalremediation practices that are consistent with good practices forenvironmental protection in general. In that regard, the reuse ofnatural materials, such as saw dust, wood chips, bark, and compost, thatwould otherwise go to waste has been a motive for creating fillings forERBs.

Especially in consideration of the use of ERBs in functions where thefilling has a requirement that is more than structural; moreover wherethe filling must perform additional multiple functions, such asclarification of runoff water and removal of pollutants, the targetedand judicious selection of materials tailored for such multifunctionaluse throughout the lifetime of the ERBs still remains a challenge.Accordingly, a need exists for more effective compositions of materialsthat are multifunctional for a variety of environmental remediationneeds, and for a range of ERBs utilizing such compositions and theiruse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1; is a side view of a fiber roll.

FIG. 2; is a top view of a blanket.

FIG. 3 a; is a front view of a bag berm.

FIG. 3 b; is a depiction of the pneumatic application of a compositionto create a berm.

FIG. 4 a; is a side view of the use of environmental remediationbarriers for remediation of livestock waste.

FIG. 4 b; is a cross section through a manure pile depicting the of theuse of fiber rolls, blankets, and berms for remediation of livestockwaste

FIG. 5; is a depiction of the use of fiber rolls, blankets, and bermsfor remediation of storm water runoff.

FIG. 6 a; is the depiction of the use of a fiber roll for the revetmentand remediation of eutrification of waterways.

FIG. 6 b; is the top view of a pond demonstrating the use of a blanketfor remediation of eutrification in a pond.

FIG. 7; is the depiction of the home garden use of a fiber rollincluding erosion control and revegetation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

What will be described and disclosed herein in connection with certainembodiments and procedures is not intended to be limited to theembodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistentwith the principles and features disclosed. Thus, the intent is to coverall such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that fall withinthe spirit and scope of what is presently disclosed as defined by theappended claims.

In this specification and in the claims that follow, reference will bemade to a number of terms that shall be defined to have the followingmeaning:

The term “fiber” has a number of common meanings which include: (1)course indigestible plant matter, consisting primarily ofpolysaccharides, such as cellulose; and (2) natural or syntheticfilaments, e.g. cotton or nylon, and materials made from such filaments.The use of the term “fiber” herein includes both of these definitions.Materials made from natural fibers include materials that arepolysaccharide in nature, e.g. cotton or linen, or polypeptide innature, e.g. wool or silk. Natural fibers containing significantcellulose content are of particular interest to the subject of what isdisclosed herein. The broad class of natural cellulose-containing fibermaterials includes such examples as flax, jute, sisal, coir, kenaf,ramie, cotton, bagasse, hemp, rice straw, wheat straw, barley straw, andoat straw. These exemplary natural fibers vary considerably in theircellulose fiber content. For example, cotton is composed of 98%cellulose, while bagasse is composed of 50% cellulose, 25% pentosan and25% lignin. Cotton is an unusual example of a natural fiber materialthat is almost completely cellulose, and bagasse is more typical. Inorder to make materials that have a higher cellulose fiber content,significant processing is generally required. Cotton, linen, paper,cardboard, and paperboard are examples of materials that aremanufactured from processed cellulose. Finally, there are several largeclasses of synthetic fibers, containing a plurality of members havinghomologous basic structures that are varied to give differentproperties. Some examples of classes of synthetic fiber materialsinclude polyamides, polyacrylates, polyesters, and polyacrylamides. Suchsynthetic fiber materials are made from starting materials that are alsosynthetic. An interesting type of synthetic fiber includes naturalfibers used as starting materials that are chemically modified intomanmade fibers. One relevant example of such a class are cellulosics, ofwhich rayon, and cellulose acetate are exemplary.

The term “environmental remediation barrier” is used herein to refer tofiber rolls, mats and blankets, and berms. Fiber rolls, also referred toas wattles or fiber logs, are elongate rolls of a natural fiber materialcontained in a covering, having diameters of about 6-24 inches and 4-25feet in length. When they are used in the capacity of erosion control,they are typically used along the top, face, and grade breaks of exposedand erodible slopes. Blankets and mats, more commonly known as rollederosion control products, are commonly used for the short termstabilization of disturbed soil areas such as steep slopes, slopes whereerosion hazard is high, slopes where mulch must be anchored, disturbedareas where plants are slow to develop, channels where flow velocitiesexceed 1.0 m/s, and in channels to be vegetated. As the name suggests,the basic structure of blankets and mats is sheet. Sizes and dimensionsof mats and blankets vary tremendously, depending on the application.Some typical dimensions are lengths of about 67 feet to 112 feet, widthsof about 4 to 16 feet and thickness of about 0.35 to 0.90 inches. Matsand blankets can be rolled and bundled to produce structures similar inshape to fiber rolls, and used in a similar capacity. Berms may beeither of the bag-type, or created on-site, typically by pneumaticapplication, and are used in the same way that fiber rolls are used.Standard dimensions of bag berms are 1.5 feet long, 1 foot wide, and 3inches thick, and for use in erosion control are typically filled withgravel, and the like. While those of ordinary skill in the art recognizethe use of these structures in earth and hydraulic engineeringapplications, it is to be understood that the disclosed compositions areuseful beyond the above-described ERBs.

The term aqueous run-off material is used to describe the particles thatare to be removed from the water during the remediation process. Therun-off material may be dissolved, colloidally suspended,non-colloidally suspended or otherwise dispersed in the water.

The term remediation process refers to the treatment of aqueous run-offmaterial such that the run-off material is isolated or separated fromthe water. In addition, the remediation process refers to the retentionof the sediment.

The term “aggregation” refers to the process in which materialcolloidally suspended becomes destabilized, thereby forming largerassociations of particles. These larger associations of particles arereferred to as aggregates. The terms “coagulation” and “flocculation”are sometimes used interchangeably to describe the process of formationof aggregates. The terms “coagulant” and “flocculant” are used todescribe agents promoting aggregation in solution, and have been usednotably in the discussion of treatment of water and wastewater.Coagulation is the clumping together of fine particles into largerparticles, caused by the use of chemicals. Flocculation is thecombination, agglomeration, aggregation or coagulation of suspendedparticles in such a way that they form small clumps or tufts (calledfloc). Here, the term “aggregation” is used to denote both “coagulation”and “flocculation”. The term “aggregating agent” refers to a wide rangeof constituents that act to promote aggregation, and occur in a widevariety of classes of materials including, polymers, minerals, clays,and inorganics. Examples of aggregating agents meeting the attributesrequired for use in the disclosed compositions include: (1) polymers;exemplary polymers are taken from the groups of polyacrylamides,polyamines, polydadmacs, chitosans; (2) minerals such as gypsum andcalcite; (3) clays such as bentonite and talc; and (4) inorganics suchas polyaluminum and polyferric salts.

One aspect of a coagulation and/or flocculation agent is its capacity tocoagulate and/or flocculate agents in water. In order to increase thesurface area of coagulation and/or flocculation agents, these agents arepreferably made up of particles of less than 10 mm in diameter.Coagulation and/or flocculation agents include for example, aquaticshells and the exoskeleton of anthropods. The coagulation andflocculation agents can function as highly absorptive or adsorptivematerial. The coagulation and flocculation agents can interact withmaterial in the water either via formation of chemical and/or physicalbonds. The action of an aggregating agent and the fiber material can beimproved through the use of a binding agent.

The term binding agent refers to any material, which can be used tochemically or physically bind the fiber material with the coagulationand/or flocculation agent. An example of a binding agent would be asilicone rubber elastomer used to bind a crystalline polymer to a fibermaterial. As described, binding agents can be used to bind thecoaggulation and/or flocculation agents to the fiber material.

The term polymer materials refers to both natural polymer materialsincluding chitin, chitosan, conchiolin and synthetic polmers such aspolyacrylamide, polyamine and polydadmac. Synthetic polymers includeorganic polymers, inorganic polymers and mixtures thereof includinginorganic fillers of organic polymers and organic fillers of inorganicpolymers.

The term polymer material in crystalline form refers to any polymermaterial in which more than 60% by weight of the polymer molecules arearranged in a regular order and pattern. e.g., polypropylene,syndiotactic polystyrene, nylon, kelvar, nomex, polyketones andpolyarylate liquid crystalline polymer.

The term “adsorption” refers to the accumulation of gases, liquids, orsolids on the surface of a solid or liquid. In contrast, though in thesame context, “absorption” is generally defined as the uniform uptake ofgases and liquids throughout a solid material. Both processes areimportant in the removal of pollutants in the environment, and it is tobe recognized that many materials may act in both capacities. The term“adsorbent” is used for materials in the described compositions selectedto adsorb pollutants of the targeted applications, though it isunderstood that such materials may also act to absorb the same or otherspecies. Similarly, the term “absorbent” is used for materials of thedescribed compositions selected to absorb undesirable bulk materials ofthe targeted applications, though it is understood that such materialsmay adsorb the same or other species.

Adsorbents meeting the attributes required for use in the describedcompositions occur in a wide variety of classes of materials includingperlites, zeolites, clays, and carbonaceous adsorbents. Given thecomplexity of these materials, there are many forms and variations ofmaterials in each class. Perlite is a generic term for a natural glassmaterial, characterized by having, good insulating properties, lightweight, neutral pH, and good adsorption properties for a wide range ofchemical species; most notably organic. Zeolites are naturally occurringminerals classified in the silicate family. They are characterized bythe openness of their structure that permits large ions and molecules todiffuse into their structure. Their channel sizes control the size ofmolecule that can pass through, and so they act as a chemical sieve.They have proven effective in removing numerous alkali, alkali earth,and transition metal ions, as well as ammonia from water. As previouslymentioned, clays are naturally occurring complex minerals within thephyllosilicate group. Given their chemical structures, many types ofclay are also highly effective adsorbents of a broad range of chemicalspecies. Examples of clays that are excellent adsorbents includevermiculite and organoclay. Carbonaceous adsorbents are a diverse groupof adsorbents ranging from activated charcoal, created from naturalsources, such as wood, to carbonized adsorbents formed from thepyrolysis of synthetic organic materials. Aquatic mollusc shells includemarine bivalves (e.g., oyster, mussel, clam, cockels, shipworms,scallop), monovalve gastrapods (limpets, snails) and cephalapoda(cuttlefish) shells. The exoskeletons of anthropods include scorpion,grasshopper, termite, cicada, moth, prawn, shrimp, lobster and crayfishshells.

One aspect of absorbents is their capacity for uptake of a liquid. It isdesirable for this application that the adsorbent take up a significantvolume of bulk liquid, without significant change in packed volume.Additionally, it is desirable for the adsorbent to be readily disposedof without creating environmental contamination or high cost. Materialsmeeting the above criteria are frequently material composites withsignificant portions of natural materials. Absorbents meeting theattributes required for use in the described compositions includepeat-based, cotton fiber-based, bagasse-based, and urethane-basedabsorbents.

Referring now to FIG. 1-3, exemplary environmental remediation barriersare shown. In FIG. 1 the side view of a fiber roll 10 is illustrated asbeing uniformly tubular, and therefore of circular cross-section. Thefiber roll 10 is composed of netted material 12 surrounding a filling14. In the filling 14, two forms of constituents of the disclosedcomposition are illustrated; fiber 16, and particle 18. FIG. 2 shows anERB in the form of a mat or blanket 20 with netted material 22, afilling 24, illustrating fiber 26 and particle 28 forms of theconstituents of the disclosed composition. In FIGS. 3 a and 3 b,different types of berms are shown. In FIG. 3 a, a bag berm 30 is shown,having a covering 32 of a cloth, and a filling 34, illustrating fiber 36and particle 38 forms of the constituents of the disclosed composition.FIG. 3 b illustrates the on-site creation of a berm 31 on hillside 33through the use pneumatic application of filling 34.

As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, ERBS contained incoverings, such as fiber roll 10, mat or blanket 20, and bag berm 30 cantake on a plurality of shapes and aspect ratios that may be useful forthe functions served. For example, the fiber roll 10 can be tubular withan oval, square, rectangular, ovoid or other dimensioned cross-section.Likewise, mats and blankets 20, and bag berms 30 need not be square, andmay take on a variety of aspect ratios. Additionally, mats and blanketsmay be further bundled into rolls, giving them the flexibility of any ofthe uses of a fiber roll. Suitable coverings for ERBs include looselywoven fabric or netted materials made from biodegradable orphotodegradable materials, or mixtures thereof that enable fluid passageas required for the particular composition and intended environmentalapplication. Suitable biodegradable covering materials include jute,sisal, coir, suitable bast (i.e., flax) material, or combinationsthereof. Suitable photodegradable covering materials includepolyethylenes, polypropylenes, and polyacetates, or combinationsthereof. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, suitablecovering material will depend upon the environmental application of thecompositions, and ERBs.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 a and 4 b illustrate the use of the disclosedcompositions in ERBs used in the remediation of livestock waste. In FIG.4 a, a side view of fiber roll 10, a bag berm 30, and a berm createdon-site 31, surrounding a manure pile 40. In FIG. 4 b, a cross sectionthrough the manure pile 40 resting on blanket 20, and surrounded byfiber roll 10 and berm created on-site 31. In this application it isdesirable to adsorb ammonia; the volatilization of which creates seriousodor problems, and absorb urine within the manure to prevent theseconstituents from being leached from the pile. In constructing themanure pile site, a blanket can be placed on the ground below themanure, while fiber rolls or berms surround the pile to prevent ammoniaand urine from running off or leaching into the soil. It is contemplatedthat blankets can be interspersed in the manure pile as it is built, andeventually act to cover a completed pile. Such use of additionalblankets acts to enhance absorption and/or degradation of the manure, ifdesired. A blanket can be placed initially, with manure layered over theblanket, and successive layers of blankets and manure stacked to build alayered pile. If desired, an absorbent, biodegradable paper can be usedto contain the pile once the pile has reached a desired height. Theabsorbent, biodegradable paper can also be layered among the layers ofblankets and manure. Further, shredded paper can be used with or withoutstraw or other fiber around the base of the pile to enhance absorptionand structural integrity of the pile. Similarly, stacks and rows offiber rolls or sequential rows of berms can be used to treat runoff froma manure pile and to add structural integrity to the pile.

An embodiment of the composition for the application of FIGS. 4 a and 4b used as the fillings 14, 24, and 34, of the fiber roll 10, blanket 20,and bag berm 30 respectively, as well as berm created on-site 31, iscomprised of the natural fiber, rice straw, the processed fiber, carbonimpregnated paper for removal of ammonia, and additional adsorbentsvermiculite or perlite or a combination thereof, to enhance theselectivity and capacity for removal of the targeted substances into theERBs as they leach from the waste pile. Additional materials extendingthe function of the composition can be added and include suitableaggregation agents or absorbents, or combinations thereof. An exemplarycovering material for this application is biodegradable orphotodegradable, as described above. As will be appreciated by those ofskill in the art, while this embodiment is described in terms of manureand stockyards, other types of excrement can be treated using thedescribed composition of this type without departing from the scope ofthis disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variety of ERBs that may utilize the disclosedcomposition in erosion control, sediment control, and additionally fortreatment of storm water runoff. Hillside 50 sloping towards roadway 52create the conditions for runoff 54. Such runoff may not only erode thehillside, carrying with it valuable topsoil, but may carry with itadditionally a variety of manmade pollutants, e.g. pesticides,herbicides, fertilizers, and nutrients, as well as natural substances,such as humic acid, fulvic acid, tannic acid, and humin, potentiallyproblematic as pollutants. Environmental remediation barriers that areuseful for multifunctional purposes, including the treatment of stormwater runoff are blankets 20, fiber rolls 10, bag berms 30, and bermscreated on-site 31. The installation of ERBs is well described, forinstance in Construction Storm Water Pollution Bulletin, 4(11), 2000; apublication by the California Transit Authority. For fiber rolls, stakes11 are used to keep the fiber roll barrier in place. Though shown on ahillside setting, the composition of this application is designed totreat runoff from a variety of surfaces, such as asphalt or concrete ina variety of residential, industrial, recreational, and agriculturalsettings.

An embodiment of the disclosed composition for the application of FIG. 5used as the fillings 14, 24, and 34, of the fiber roll 10, blanket 20,and bag berm 30 respectively, as well as berm created on-site 31, iscomprised of the natural fiber, rice straw, coir, the processed fiber,carbon impregnated paper for removal of pollutants, and additionallyaggregating agents, gypsum and polyacrylamide. Vermiculite or perlite,or combinations thereof may be added to enhance the selectivity andcapacity for removal of the targeted substances. Other materialsextending the function of the composition can be added and includeadditional aggregation agents, adsorbents, or absorbents, orcombinations thereof. An exemplary covering material for thisapplication is photodegradable, as previously described. As will beappreciated by those of skill in the art, while this embodiment isdescribed in terms of multifunctional application for environmentalremediation of a hillside, other types of surfaces found in residential,industrial, recreational, and agricultural settings can be treated usinga composition of this type without departing from the scope of thisdisclosure. For instance, the disclosed compositions of this embodimentcan be used in conjunction with surfaces additionally contaminated withhydrocarbon accumulation, such as parking lots or roadways.

In reference to FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, ERBs utilizing the disclosedcomposition in the environmental remediation of waterways areillustrated. In this application, multifunctional purposes in additionto those mentioned in the above exemplary applications would berevetment of banks and remediation of eutrification, e.g. for pond orlake clarification of algae. In FIG. 6 a, a fiber roll 10 is showninstalled with stakes 11, as previously described, in order to supportsloping bank 60, in continuous contact with river, 62. Similarly, inFIG. 6 b, fiber roll 10 is installed using stakes 11 to support shore 64of lake 66. Additionally, blanket 20 is shown disposed on lake 66,installed with floatation devices 22. As will be described in moredetail, blanket 20 in FIG. 6 b is used for remediation of eutrificationof ponds, lakes, streams, and the like.

In the application illustrated in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, an embodiment ofthe composition utilizes a combination of natural fibers, flax andbarley straw, and the natural fiber, paper. For uses associated withsemi-aquatic communities, such as the application of environmentalremediation of a riparian community or stream or lake bank, suitablefilling also includes kenaf and ramie. Depending on the application andtype of ERB used, other materials extending the function of thedescribed composition can be added including aggregation agents,adsorbents, absorbents, germicides, germistats, or combinations thereof.An exemplary covering material for this application is photodegradableor biodegradable, as described above. As will be appreciated by those ofskill in the art, the compositions used in ERBs represented in FIGS. 6 aand 6 b could be located along the bank of other bodies of water withoutdeparting from the scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts the of use of the disclosed compositions in fiber rolls10 and mats 20 for home garden use. Backyard 70, bounded on one side bysloping hillside 72 is shown using fiber rolls 10 installed on thesloping hillside 72 using stakes 11, while a mat is shown in backyard70. Plants 74 are shown to be growing out of the fiber rolls 10 and theblanket 20. In addition to any of the embodiments of the disclosedcompositions described above, plant material may be added, so that anadditional function served is revegetation. Examples of suitable plantmaterial include one or more of seeds, bulbs, rhizomes, cuttings, andseedlings. An exemplary covering material for this application isphotodegradable or biodegradable, or combinations thereof, as previouslydescribed. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, whilethis embodiment is described in terms multifunctional application forhome use, other types of residential, industrial, recreational, andagricultural settings can be treated using revegetation withoutdeparting from the scope of what is disclosed herein. For instance, themultifunctional compositions used for revegetation can also be used inforests, golf courses, waterways, and on embankments abutting roadways,etc.

1. A device for run-off treatment and sediment retention of watercomprising: (a) a fiber material; and (b) one or more coagulation and/orflocculation agents selected from the group consisting of exoskeletonsof anthropods and aquatic shells.
 2. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising a binding agent, which binds the fiber material and the oneor more coagulation and/or flocculation agents.
 3. The device of claim1, wherein the fiber material is natural fiber material.
 4. The deviceof claim 1, further comprising one or more coagulation and/orflocculation agents selected from the group consisting of a polymermaterial, a mineral, a clay, and an inorganic compounds.
 5. The deviceof claim 1, further comprising one or more coagulation and/orflocculation agents selected from the group consisting of chitin,chitosan, conchiolin, polyacrylamide, polyamine and polydadmac.
 6. Thedevice of claim 5, wherein the one or more coagulation and/orflocculation agents include a polymer material in a crystalline form. 7.The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more coagulation and/orflocculation agents are made up of particles of less than 10 mm indiameter.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more coagulationand/or flocculation agents are impregnated into the fiber.
 9. The deviceof claim 2, wherein the binding agent binds the fiber material and theflocculation and/or coagulation agents through chemical and/or physicalbonds.
 10. A device for treatment of run-off water and sedimentretention comprising: a container formed in the shape of a tube; saidcontainer comprising a mesh; a fiber material packed into said tube; acoagulation and/or flocculation agent provided in the container andassociated with the fiber material which acts to retain run-offmaterials in the water and/or retain sediment; and wherein saidcoagulation and/or flocculation agent is at least consisting of aquaticshells and/or the exoskeletons of anthropods.
 11. The device of claim10, further comprising a binding agent, which binds the fiber materialand the coagulation and/or flocculation agent.
 12. The device of claim10, wherein the coagulation and/or flocculation agents is provided insaid fiber material in order to retain run-off material in the water inthe container.
 13. The device of claim 10, wherein the coagulationand/or flocculation agents is provided in said fiber material in orderto retain run-off material in the water on said fiber material.
 14. Amethod for treating run off water with the device of claim
 1. 15. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein aquatic shells and the exoskeleton ofanthropods are provided in said fiber material in order to retain therun-off material in the water on the said fiber material.
 16. The deviceof claim 10, further comprising a coagulation and/or flocculation agentselected from the group consisting of polymer materials, minerals,clays, and inorganic compounds.
 17. The device of claim 10, furthercomprising a coagulation and/or flocculation agent selected from thegroup consisting of chitin, chitosan, conchiolin, polyacrylamide,polyamine and polydadmac.
 18. The device of claim 1, wherein the fibermaterial is selected from the group consisting of natural fiber, ricestraw, cotton, wool, silk, coir, flax, jute, sisal, kenaf, ramie,bagasse, hemp, wheat straw, barley straw, oat straw, processed fiber,linen, paper, cardboard, paperboard, carbon impregnated paper, naturalfilaments, synthetic filaments, polyamides, polyacrylates, polyesters,polyacrylamides, rayon and cellulose acetate.
 19. A device for treatmentof water comprising: (a) a container; (b) fiber material held in saidcontainer; and (c) one or more aquatic shells and/or one or moreexoskeleton of anthropods provided in the container and provided onand/or impregnated into the fiber material and which acts to retainmaterial in the water.
 20. The device of claim 19, further comprising abinding agent, which binds the fiber material and the aquatic shellsand/or the exoskeletons of anthropods.